We hope everyone had a joyful holiday season, filled with kindness and love. As we step into 2025 and reflect on the accomplishments of 2024, we are filled with pride and gratitude. It has been an exciting year of growth and achievement, and we are happy to share some of our milestones with you.

2024 Highlights:

• New Beginnings: In January 2024, we proudly moved into the College of Education and Human Development. Along with this transition, we updated our vision and mission statements while creating comprehensive strategic plan that will guide us in the years to come.
• Serving the Community: We now serve 310 children, expanding our reach to include not only the Aggie community but also the Bryan-College Station community for the first time. We are currently enrolling ages 2 ½ – 5 years at the Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center.
• Facility Growth: Our facilities have grown with 2 buildings, 24 open classrooms, 2 multipurpose rooms, and 5 playground spaces. These spaces allow us to better serve the children and families who rely on our programs as well as generate more opportunities for research and student engagement.
• Student Employees: We are proud to employ over 60 student workers who assist in our early childhood classrooms, as well as an additional 20 students who help run our front desk and provide nutritious meals and snacks in our kitchens.

Research and Impact: This year, the Children’s Centers have made significant strides in research and development. We participated in four research projects and submitted six letters of support for future research opportunities. We look forward to continuing to grow our impact and contribute to the field of early childhood education.

Collaborations: Our collaborations with various departments and organizational units have been invaluable in achieving our goals. Some key partnerships include:

• Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education
• Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY)
• Teaching, Learning, and Culture (TLAC)
• College of Nursing
• College of Architecture
• University Police Department (UPD)
• Transportation Services
• Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran & Support Resource Center
• Student Health Services
• University Art Galleries (UART)

Student Engagement: We are committed to providing meaningful experiences for students and fostering engagement in our programs:

• Practicum Site for Texas A&M University students (starting Spring 2025)
• Clinical Site for College of Nursing students
• Blinn College Early Childhood Education Students Filed Experience Hours
• Student Organization presentations
• Corp of Cadets volunteering

Accreditation Goals: Both of our schools are currently undergoing Texas Rising Star initial or recertification. Looking ahead, we are excited to begin working toward National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation, with plans to apply in Fall 2025. Additionally, the Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center playgrounds have been selected as a project in Landscape Design II (LAND 212) in Spring 2025, with the goal to obtain National Playground Certification.

Looking Ahead: As we enter 2025, we are thrilled about the opportunities the new year brings. We remain committed to providing the highest quality early learning education and continuing to foster growth, collaboration, and innovation within our community.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to the exciting year ahead!